Brussels, 04/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - MEP Daniel Cohn-Bendit (Greens/EFA, France); the president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Souhayr Belhassen; the ambassador for France and Honorary President of the Committee of Members of the FIDH, Stephane Hessel; and writer Jonathan Littell have denounced the EU's ambiguous policy with regard to the repression in Belarus. “The international community seems very hesitant. (…) The most worrying thing is the absence of a clear line on the part of the European Union”, they stress in an opinion column published on 3 November on the website of the French daily, Le Monde. “Community institutions must speak with one voice, firmly and clearly, and demand the release (…) of all other political prisoners, and call for irrevocable change in Belarus”, they add.
The above four figures believe that, since the presidential elections in Belarus in December 2010, the EU has been contradictory in its attempts to bring about change. Evoking the strengthened sanctions against Lukashenko's regime, they stress that Poland has publicly suggested allocating €9 billion to Belarus subject to the latter's compliance with human rights, public freedoms, and the holding of democratic elections. They argue, however, that this offer has only had the result of filling up the prisons so that Lukashenko has as many cards as possible up his sleeve during negotiations that could prove difficult. “They are diplomatic levers”, they explain, while Belarus is going through an unprecedented economic crisis and, more than ever before, needs the Union's financial support.
The four prominent figures say history is setting out a challenge but ask whether it can be raised. They thus put into their own words what the leader of the Belarus Viasna Centre for Human Rights, Ales Bialiatski, said. Bialiatski was found guilty of “tax evasion” on 2 November and could face a 7 year prison sentence. (CG/transl.jl)